Fossil Hunt
by suzie2b
Summary: Moffitt and Tully go on a fossil hunt and find more than they bargained for.
**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Fossil Hunt**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **It was a rare 48 hours off for the Rat Patrol and everyone had plans.**

 **Tully was throwing a few things into a knapsack as he asked, "What are you up to with your time off?"**

 **Hitch was sitting on his bed across the room they shared. "I'm going to find me a nice young lady and hunker down for the duration. What about you?"**

" **Charley's out on a mission so Moffitt has invited me on one of his fossil hunts."**

 **Hitch grinned. "Sounds interesting. Where to?"**

 **Tully smiled amiably. "He said it's about ten miles from here. A hillside he's been eyeing for a while."**

" **Well, good luck."**

" **You too."**

 **###############################**

 **Since Moffitt knew where he wanted to go, Tully didn't complain when he drove them out to—as Moffitt called it—the "dig site".**

 **They were setting up their camp when Tully asked, "Wasn't this desert a sea at one time?"**

 **Moffitt nodded. "Yes, about one-hundred-seventy-five years ago. It's said to have been some five thousand meters deep in places."**

" **So, we're going to be looking for fish fossils and such?"**

" **Among other things. Six to eight thousand years ago the Sahara once flourished with life and rainfall was abundant. There could be any number of species in the area."**

 **Moffitt and Tully were soon searching the hillside that jutted up out of the sand for a likely place to start. Soon they were finding fossils of ammonites, ancient crocodiles, sea turtles, and some that Moffitt couldn't readily identify.**

 **Tully kept finding what appeared to be teeth. "Hey, doc, are these shark teeth?"**

 **Moffitt took one of the large samples. "This one is. See the ridges along here?" Tully nodded. "Could be from a Megalodon." Moffitt picked up a different one. "This is probably from a crocodile. See how it's rounder and smoother?"**

 **Tully had to admit that he was having a good time and was learning quite a bit. However, when his stomach started to growl, he said, "I'm gonna go down and put together some lunch."**

" **Good idea. I'm getting a bit hungry myself. Just give me a few minutes and I'll join you."**

 **Tully walked down the hill and had just stepped onto the sand when there was a muffled rumble under his feet, which he felt more than heard. He looked up at Moffitt, who didn't seem to have noticed it. He looked around, saw nothing, shrugged and went to take another step. The sand under his feet began to shift and he felt himself begin to sink. Tully tried to pull his feet free, but it was as if there was some kind of suction pulling him down. "Sarge!"**

 **Moffitt turned and saw Tully up to his waist in sand and trying to claw his way out. Moffitt was down the hill in a flash, but when he reached out to grab Tully's hand he disappeared. There was nothing in front of him but a hole in the sand. "Tully!"**

 **###############################**

 **Tully felt himself freefalling for some time before he hit the pile of sand that had preceded him through the hole. The landing knocked the wind out of him and he couldn't move or respond to Moffitt's calls immediately.**

 **Moffitt gave the hole a wide berth as he ran to the jeep for a flashlight. When he returned, he carefully stayed on the solid rock hillside when he shined the light down at Tully. "Are you all right?"**

 **Tully squinted, blocked the light with his hand, and rolled off the mound of sand. "Yeah, I think so!" His voice echoed painfully off the walls. He kept his voice lower when he asked, "What the heck happened?"**

" **There must have been some sort of earthquake. It fractured the rock causing a sinkhole. Can you see anything?"**

" **No. It's pitch black down here."**

" **Here, I'll drop you the flashlight."**

 **Tully watched the beam of light tumble and was able to catch it. He shined it around and couldn't believe what he saw. "Hey, sarge! There's paintings on the walls down here."**

 **Moffitt was immediately intrigued, but kept himself focused on Tully. "Can you see any other passages or possible ways out?"**

" **Yeah, there's a tunnel. I'll check it out."**

 **As Tully's light went out of sight, Moffitt hurried to the jeep for another flashlight. He had just turned to go back to the hole, when the earth rumbled beneath him. The sound of rocks cracking and falling came up from the hole in the sand. As he rushed back, he called out Tully's name.**

 **Dust clouded his view as he tried in vain to see his friend, but he could hear Tully coughing. "Are you okay, Tully?"**

 **He coughed some more before he answered, "Yeah! That tunnel collapsed. If it was a way out it's not anymore."**

" **I'm going to radio base and get some help. Sit tight."**

 **Moffitt got ahold of Ras Tanura and requested help with their situation. He went back to let Tully know that help was coming. As he knelt next to the hole, he heard cracking and splintering again as more rocks gave way below. This time when he called out to Tully, there was no answer.**

 **###############################**

 **When Tully finally heard Moffitt's voice, he opened his eyes slowly. He couldn't remember where he was at first or why it was so dark. He had a moment of panic when he thought he'd gone blind. Then he saw the flashlight's beam and gave a sigh of relief.**

 **Tully heard his name called again and answered, "Yeah, I'm alive."**

 **Moffitt let out a sighing breath. "Are you hurt?"**

" **Give me a second and I'll let you know." Tully knew he couldn't move his legs and could feel a lot of pressure on them. He stretched and finally reached the flashlight. The light revealed that he was trapped under rocks that had fallen from the ceiling. "Um … sarge?"**

" **Yes, Tully, I'm here."**

" **I'm in a bit of trouble down here."**

 **Moffitt didn't like the sound of that and frowned. "What's wrong?"**

 **Tully replied, "That last bit of shaking caused some of the ceiling to fall on me. My legs are trapped."**

" **I got ahold of base. They're sending help. Just hang on a little longer."**

 **It wasn't long before Moffitt began to pace and checked his watch constantly. He wondered what was taking so long for help to arrive. A half hour later a jeep rolled up with Troy and Hitch in it.**

 **As they got out of the jeep, Moffitt said, "Don't take this the wrong way. I'm really very glad to see you. But when I radioed for help I expect more."**

 **Troy nodded. "It's on the way. How's Tully doing?"**

" **Some of the ceiling has given way. He says his legs are trapped." Hitch started to walk towards the hole and Moffitt warned him, "Be careful. It's all quite unstable."**

 **Hitch stood back from the hole and called, "Tully? How're you doing down there?"**

 **Tully called back. "I've been better. Has the cavalry arrived?"**

" **Just me and Troy so far, but helps on the way."**

 **The rocks on top of Tully started to shift and he screamed as he felt a bone in his lower leg give way.**

" **Tully, what happened?"**

 **He gasped as the pain radiated through his body. Troy and Moffitt hurried to where Hitch was in time to hear Tully say through gritted teeth, "The rocks shifted. Leg's broke."**

 **Hitch looked at Troy desperately. "We brought rope. Let me go down and try to help him."**

 **Troy shook his head. "Too dangerous."**

" **Someone's going to have to go down there eventually. I can scope things out and be ready when the others get here."**

 **Troy sighed, then looked at Moffitt. "What do you think?"**

 **Moffitt thought for a moment, then pointed to a bare, lifeless-looking tree. "If we use a couple of those heavy branches across here." He indicated the edge of the hole closest to the hillside. "It should make things stable enough to lower Hitch down."**

 **Troy nodded. "All right. Let's do it."**

 **###############################**

 **Hitch was lowered down and then made his way over to where his friend lay. "Hey, Tully, how's it going?"**

 **Tully was panting with the throbbing pain. "It's … goin'."**

 **Hitch got the lantern he'd brought lit and surveyed the situation as he gave Tully a dose of morphine. "That should help some. Which leg?"**

 **Tully gritted his teeth. "The left."**

 **Hitch handed him a canteen. "Let me take a look at that cut on your forehead."**

 **Tully took a drink then said, "You shouldn't be down here. But I'm glad you are."**

 **Hitch smiled a little as he cleaned and bandaged the small cut. "Yeah, me too, buddy."**

 **They heard Troy's voice say, "How's he doing, Hitch?"**

" **As well as can be expected. Gave him some morphine for the pain."**

" **What does the situation look like?"**

 **Hitch sighed. "Looks like the majority of the rocks are small to medium in size. I could move 'em by myself. Want me to start digging him out?"**

 **Moffitt called, "Wait! I'm coming down." Troy grabbed his arm and looked at him. "If there's a chance we can dig him out and stabilize his leg, things will be easier when help arrives."**

 **Troy let him go.**

 **###############################**

 **While Moffitt and Hitch worked carefully to move the rocks off of Tully, the cavalry finally arrived. They shored up the hole with timber they'd brought and put together a climbing harness. Four more men went down to help Moffitt and Hitch with strict instructions to do what the sergeant told them to do.**

 **Every time something shifted Tully would cry out in pain and all work would have to stop until things settled again. Two hours later, they finally got the now unconscious Tully uncovered and moved away from the shifting rocks. Relieved that there wasn't a compound fracture, Moffitt splinted the leg.**

 **Tully opened his eyes and looked up at Hitch, who said, "We're going to get you out of here in a minute. How's the pain?"**

 **Tully grimaced. "Not as bad as it was."**

 **Moffitt said, "Okay, let's get that harness on him."**

 **Using a winch, Tully was smoothly hauled up and out to arms that were there to help him out of the climbing harness and onto a stretcher.**

 **Troy knelt next to his private and smiled. "Good thing I don't let you off your leash very often."**

 **Tully managed a wane smile as the medics fussed around him. "Things would get kinda messy if you did."**

 **Moffitt waited for the others to be winched up and out. He shined his flashlight on the wall paintings that Tully had mentioned. They were beautiful and who knew how old.**

 **Troy called down, "Come on, Moffitt. Time to get outta there."**

 **Just as the medics were loading Tully into the ambulance a shadow fell across his face. He looked up to see Moffitt. "Sorry I ruined your fossil hunt."**

 **Moffitt smiled. "That's all right, Tully. There'll be others. See you back at base." He watched the ambulance drive away, then turned as Troy and Hitch joined him. "What are they going to do about the sinkhole?"**

 **Troy said, "They're going to blow it up. It's too unstable to leave as is."**

 **Thinking of the paintings he's seen, Moffitt sighed. "It's a shame, really. But I suppose it can't be helped."**

 **###############################**

 **Tully's tibia was broken in two places and surgery was needed to set the bones. Then he would have to spend some time in traction to be sure the bones healed properly. A multitude of cuts, scratches, and bruises on both legs had to be taken care of.**

 **When Tully opened his eyes the next day, the first thing he saw was Charley fast asleep in a chair next to his bunk with her head resting on the bed against his side. She didn't look very comfortable. He brushed his hand against her cheek and she sighed as her eyes opened. "Good morning, beautiful."**

 **Charley sat up in the chair and yawned. "Is it morning already?"**

 **Tully smiled groggily. "I really have no idea."**

" **How are you feeling?"**

" **A little sore, but not too bad at the moment. When did you get back?"**

 **Charley leaned in and kissed him. "Not too long after you got out of surgery. Just after dark."**

 **Tully's brow furrowed. "So you've been here all night?"**

 **Before Charley could answer, Moffitt walked up to them with a smile. "Good to see you awake, Tully."**

" **Was she here all night?"**

 **Moffitt nodded. "I suspect she was. When I came in to check on you last night she'd fallen asleep. Decided to leave her rather than argue with her about going off to bed."**

 **Tully took her hand and kissed it. "Get outta here and get some rest. It's not like I'm going anywhere."**

 **Charley smiled. "I'm fine … but I am hungry." She looked up at Moffitt. "Care to join me for breakfast, Jack?"**

 **Moffitt grinned. "Actually, it's nearly time for lunch." He put his arm out for her to take. "And, yes, I'd love to."**

 **Charley smiled as she stood and put her arm through his. Tully grinned and said, "Don't let him take you on any fossil hunts."**

 **Moffitt gave him his best scowl. "Good heavens, man! Never on a first date!"**


End file.
